The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heliopsis helianthoides and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, xe2x80x98Prairie Sunsetxe2x80x99. xe2x80x98Prairie Sunsetxe2x80x99 represents a new Ox Eye Sunflower, an herbaceous perennial grown for landscape use.
The inventor discovered the new cultivar, xe2x80x98Prairie Sunsetxe2x80x99, in a cultivated field in Westfield, Wis. in the summer of 1994. The inventor collects and sows seed of Heliopsis helianthoides for commercial seed production. xe2x80x98Prairie Sunsetxe2x80x99 was discovered as a mutant seedling in a cultivated production field. The new cultivar was selected from seedlings produced by open-pollination of Heliopsis helianthoides. No named cultivars of Heliopsis helianthoides were grown in the production field.
The combined characteristics of xe2x80x98Prairie Sunsetxe2x80x99: its purple-veined foliage, sturdy purple stems, and yellow ray flowers with distinct red coloration on the basal portion of the petals. These characteristics make this new cultivar unique and unlike any other known cultivars of Heliopsis helianthoides known to the inventor. Although there are cultivars that exist with variation in flower color and form, no cultivars known to the inventor have ray flowers with red basal coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by division in Westfield, Wis. in spring of 1995 by the inventor. The characteristics of this cultivar have been determined to be stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Prairie Sunsetxe2x80x99 from other varieties in commerce known to the inventor.
1. Foliage is deep green with veins that have purple coloration.
2. Purple stems are sturdy and wind tolerant.
3. Yellow flowers have red coloration on the basal portion of the petals when they emerge. The red coloration fades to a red-orange after approximately ten days and then gradually fades to yellow as the flower continues to age.
4. Long blooming; blooming for up to 12 weeks in mid-summer and early fall.
5. Tolerant to a wide range of growing conditions, growing well in full sun to light shade in dry to moist soils.